Day 341 - 29th February 2008

So here I am, The Birks at last; smack bang in the middle of a lake district valley, this is easily one of the nicest areas in Europe.

The accommodation is basic, as ever, and the weather is grim; none of this takes away from the joy this place has brought to many a school child including myself.

I never thought I'd go back in my lifetime since the final trip last year; but I was honoured to be invited back to help out with a French trip coming up for the weekend.

It's a leap year, and today is the extra day we get; apparently it's on this day that women are meant to propose to men, guess I'm in the wrong place then...

Before I go to bed; I must mention that the train ride up into the lakes is truly amazing. For a small fare you can cross though sand, sea, lakes and fields; all looking great whatever the weather. I just wish my legs could fit in those old trains a bit better.

Day 340 - 28th February 2008

Thursday seems to come around so often these days. The film was cancelled, so I had a 5pm finish; two hours before usual time. This was a welcome break.

Why then, despite this lifted burden, do I feel so bad? The sense of having lost something I never even had is overwhelming, and I'm not even sure why.

Tomorrow I head for the lakes; it'll give me time to collect my thoughts and pick out what the problem is, the feeling of almost constant anxiety instilled within me today is beginning to rather annoy me.

Melancholy is not something I'm used to; I hope I get over it soon.

Day 339 - 27th February 2008

Wednesday is always pretty good, for various reasons; the main one being that I've practically got the day off. The next day, however, is Thursday and although I don't wish to complain just yet, Thursdays are not the days to be staying out late the night before on.

This is partly why, along with the fact that I'm not a huge clubber anyway, I went home early from someone's birthday in town. Thursdays require 100% energy for even a slight chance of making it through sane.

It all sounds exaggerated, and I guess it is; I suppose it's only really bad from my perspective...

Day 338 - 26th February 2008

On days like these I often stop an wonder if there's such a thing as luck. I've just got back from watching Stoke end their unbeaten run to Preston, the league leaders beaten by a side in the bottom three.

I wouldn't mind so much, but it's the one time I went; the one time and we just couldn't score. Preston scored two goals, we didn't get any but on a different night we would have had four or five; that's how many times Preston cleared it off their own line anyway.

Of course, it was Stoke's fault really, they need to get more clinical with the strikers; enough talk though! It was freezing cold and the Preston ground is a fair old trek from the train station; it wasn't a bad game, but the £25 entrance fee did leave me with some regrets. I won't be going again in a hurry...

Day 337 - 25th February 2008

It was Italian presentation day and in what is quickly (and, I'll admit, shamefully) becoming my own patented style of making it up, I somehow did OK in the end. I did have a few conjugations on my hand though...

The thing is, I count myself lucky every time I pull it off, and every time I tell myself "phew, I'll prepare loads for the next one" and of course, I rarely do. I suppose it makes me stupid, a weird kind of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it method'. When I fall flat on my face, which is clearly inevitable, I'll stop winging it. Until then...

The sun in the morning filled me with optimism, but the exact opposite I see outside my window tonight doesn't really make me look forward to tomorrow. There's not much to talk about otherwise, so I'm going to go to bed early.

Day 336 - 24th February 2008

Guess who's got a harmonica? Yep. I've got it off eBay for practically nothing, and I'm playing away at the blues all day now. I've managed to get a tune for all situations; just what every man needs, the ability to play a slightly annoying tune at any minute.

Otherwise, I would talk about the work etc... but it's late and I need to get off to bed. Oh yeah; Tottenham won the carling cup.

Day 335 - 23rd February 2008

I'm not a huge fan of cocktails, although I guess I've had my fair share abroad, so I was surprised to find that I actually quite enjoyed the one someone made me tonight; the Mohito. Didn't want any more though; too much of a good thing and all that...

There seems to be a university TV station starting up, so I'm starting to throw together a script for a sitcom about a guy at uni; so I did that for the morning.

What a great day for sports, not only did England beat France (convincingly) in a miracle six nations result, but Stoke beat Ipswich, putting them a point clear at the top of the table. That's right TOP OF THE TABLE! Oh boy, I might just nip down and see them at Preston on Tuesday...

Day 334 - 22nd February 2008

Another pretty eventless day, although I can't complain about it. I saw some sort of Geese or ducks or something on the way home, I don't really know much about these things so I can't tell you what they are; they were pretty big though, so I settled with Geese.

I came close to going out tonight, but I feel tired and I don't really want to go, so I'm going to sit in bed and watch Jools. Goodnight.

Day 333 - 21st February 2008

Blugh; I bloody hate Thursdays. By the end of the day everything is a big fat blur; especially when it's foreign film night. I don't even want to talk about it anymore.

Day 332 - 20th February 2008

The good weather has come to an end; grey skies and rock bottom temperature were once again the norm today.

From what I hear, a lunar eclipse is meant to occur tonight; I've been out late and seen no sign of it, I don't particularly want to stay up until the crack of dawn for it so I think I'll give up, at least you can see the moon in the picture.

There's not much more to be said; time is moving at breakneck speed, it's hard to believe the end of the term is so near now! Deadlines are approaching, and although I'm on top of it all so far, it's still surprising that it's all flying by so quickly.

Day 331 - 19th February 2008

What a beautiful day, again, and what a beautiful night. I know this because I'm currently doing a spot of late night clothes washing and I can't help but look up on my trips out to the machines.

In a spare moment, I thought it'd be nice to make one of those infinite door signs to go on my door. As it happens, it was rather nice so I took a picture.

Nothing much else to talk about really; just that it'll be Wednesday in about seven minutes and that can only be a good thing.

Day 330 - 18th February 2008

Apologies for the blurred picture today; we had a wonderful sunset and evening but my batteries ran out, this being the only picture I took.

Nothing has happened to speak of and I need to get to bed, so I'm going to stop here for tonight.

Day 329 - 17th February 2008

For the record, but at the risk of starting to repeat myself, it's been a lovely sunny, freezing day. I didn't do much so today I'm going to tell you a true story.

Today's picture is of a web in a cardboard tube, but there's so much more to it than that, it's a small part of the saga that is: Simon The Spider.

It all started with a flatmate down the corridor who is arachnophobic and wanted me to dispose of a spider on her window. I scooped it up in a bag and put it on my houseplant, thinking it'd be nice to give a new little home; I gave it a name too, Simon Jones.

Simon was great, running around my plant but never running off, living in a web of his own. When I went to bed one night, cheeky little Simon decided to dangle off one of leaves on the plant using his spidey-silk. Sadly, this was rather blocking my view of the TV screen from the bed; it seemed cheeky little Simon had become a cheeky little sod.

So, I found a cardboard tube and scooped him in there, thinking it would be a container for him overnight. Sure enough, in the morning, he'd made a web all the way down the tube, as pictured (or tunnel as he called it); I thought I should remove the tube lid to give him some air during the day. Unsurprisingly, he ran off when I wasn't looking; probably to go and search for his former paradise of the houseplant.

I had written him off, but it was far from over. Well, far from over is a bit exaggerated, but there's one more part to the story. As I was working, I reached down to scratch an itch on my leg when I saw a little thing fall out of my trousers; it wasn't an itch, it was Simon! Severely crippled after my heavy handed trouser incident, Simon was down to seven legs and wasn't moving much at all. I returned him to his web in the plant, but he didn't build any more. He only moved about an inch in four hours; it wasn't looking good for him.

After hours on life support and a bit of physio to get him accustomed to his missing leg, Simon was moving around slightly more around the plant; he even moved out of the soil into the leaves again. Last night however, just before going to bed, I checked on his condition and I couldn't find him. Simon seems to have gone; this time for good. I think, considering his condition, he crawled off to a corner to assume his little place in spider heaven. After a day of being missing, I officially pronounced him dead; so long Simon.

Day 328 - 16th February 2008

Apologies to Liverpool fans, but today was a testament to the brilliance of not only the FA cup; but British football overall. Ouch is all I can say if you're from Merseyside, a 90th minute Barnsley winner put the reds out of the cup today, at Anfield; although you probably know that already.

Sadly Huddersfield couldn't do the same at Chelsea, but Manchester United opened a can of whoopass on Arsenal, beating them 4-0.

Stoke beat Scunthorpe and a Watford draw now puts us at the top of the league! Yeah baby! It could change with tomorrow's games, so they'd better make the most of it now! The premiership is a realistic sight now...

To talk about the weather is only natural when it's been yet another fantastic day. Freezing, but fantastic; just the type of weather I love. Pray it happens again tomorrow.

Day 327 - 15th February 2008

Thursday disappeared pretty quickly, and so did the bad weather. Ah, that lovely feeling that the weekend is only tomorrow was upon us again, although I can't say it's been very warm.

On the way to a lesson I couldn't help but notice a new shape mustang parked up outside the church. I won't go on, but just take a moment to admire that it's the same height as the 4x4 down the row and twice as big as the Jag next to it. The sight of this sore thumb did make me laugh somewhat, especially when you think it's parked with its exhaust blasting into the chaplaincy centre; home of the eco-warriors.

Day 326 - 14th February 2008

As I rather miserably predicted, Thursday was enough to end the nice weather and it sent us straight back to the good old Lancaster climate. You can, however, see two nutters having a picnic on the roundabout; it was 4 degrees with no sunlight!

This morning I dropped my brother off then went to work, doing my Sebastien Loeb presentation in French along the way; I could stop thinking about Clint Eastwood whilst I was doing it though, I still don't know why I wasn't allowed to do that...

Anyway, time to look forwards and put the bitterness behind me; I don't know what tomorrow will bring though.

Day 325 - 13th February 2008

It's good to see my brother again, and he seemed to have struck lucky on the fifth glorious day in a row. The picture is the pub we went to and stuffed ourselves silly before going bowling in the afternoon.

I haven't got much to say, it's been pretty eventful I guess though...

I just hope that the good weather lasts a while longer, although tomorrow is Thursday and it's highly likely to end on such a day.

Day 324 - 12th February 2008

The total of glorious days so far has added up to four, and hopeful there are more to come tomorrow. I'm sort of running out of sunshine photos to take now, but I feel as though it should really be milked for all its worth; we probably won't see the sun again for a few months...

My brother is here, and I'm off to bed now; early start again tomorrow!

Day 323 - 11th February 2008

On Thursday I've got a French oral exam, I was told I could talk about any topic; so what better than Clint Eastwood, my favourite cowboy. For some reason, the teacher has told me not to do this and to draw from my French background to benefit the class. Oooh that's annoying, I was really looking forward to a bit of Clint...

Anyway, that finally off my chest, it's been otherwise yet another fantastic day. Glorious warm sunshine hit us all and made it feel like the start of summer, never mind the middle of winter. A beautiful sunset with the moon in the clear sky made for another pretty picture of the day.

Tomorrow, my brother arrives in the evening and I think it's gonna be another pretty good day; bring it on!

Day 322 - 10th February 2008

More sunshine could only result in more happiness, and being a Sunday only helped. In what could easily be dubbed as the best weekend, weather-wise, since back in September.

Hopefully, the fine weather shall continue as predicted for a couple more days; it'd definetely be a different Monday.

Talking of different, I don't usually talk about my own football results but in our match this morning, we actually managed to score three goals in quick succession. Now I'm used to a side that defends well but never scores, so this was a surprise for me; sadly, the other side seemed to give up after about three or four goals and we just slotted them in willy nilly. At half time, everyone voted to call it 3-0 and go home; 45 minutes seems like a very long time when it's a dull game...

There was a film on tonight but I didn't fancy it, so I went along to the crap quiz instead, despite the fact I thought I'd never go back again. Again, this probably doesn't warrant a mention, but on the way back a girl ran past us at full speed in pyjama bottoms then fell over hard on the floor; seemingly unconscious. I ran up to her and she was breathing but clearly in a heavy daze, if not knocked out, so I got the person I was with to go and fetch the porter whilst I stuck her into the recovery position. Whilst the porter was being fetched, she suddenly snapped out of it with a sharp breath and said "No, don't get the porter, he hates me, I've only grazed my knee..."

She then proceeded to bolt for the hills, faster than I think she could take, probably why she fell over in the first place. As it happens, she'd already been to the porter, and seemed to faint there too; I don't know what the hell was going on, but I bumped into a guy who was trying to track her down, he said she was on medication and had been drinking, a fatal mix. At first, I thought she'd faked unconsciousness, but I suppose the alcohol and medication could have caused sudden fainting...

It's a stroke of luck we were on site, anywhere else and I'd have called an ambulance; I didn't in this case because they get stuck at the gate not knowing where to go when they arrive at the university. Don't know why I typed all this up, but I guess it's a story to tell; however sad, or maybe even incomplete, it may be. I do wonder where she ran to though, couldn't have got far but judging by the way she stared at me, she could have run off into the woods for all I know.

Anyway, I hope it all got sorted out, but I need to go to bed, early start with grammar tomorrow; lovely.

Day 321 - 9th February 2008

The sun shone on the weekend, such a rare thing in Lancaster that I just had to take a picture of it, almost blinding the camera. There was little wind and not a sign of any real cold; possibly the best Saturday we've had for a long long time.

What else can I say, I won't say goodnight, I don't seem to be able to get to sleep tonight.

Maybe that's because of the almighty 2-4 victory for Stoke City away at Wolverhampton which has brought us to within two points of first place, and even closer to automatic promotion. This is the best run they've had since Stanley Matthew's time by the looks of it...

Day 320 - 8th February 2008

It's been another pretty dull day, hard at work as ever, but I haven't got much to talk about.

The cards pictures are ones I collected in various bars tonight, and with three of these I can get into the Student Union nightclub, the sugarhouse, for free.

So, I can now go to bed if I wanted to; but I'm far too boring for that stuff, so it's bedtime, goodnight!

Day 319 - 7th February 2008

Boring picture; horrific day. Whoever came up with the idea that I should be in lessons from 9am until 7pm without a break is insane; I won't mention any more after this, but briefly put this has been the worst Thursday on record.

Not really in the mood for any real work, I decided to set on creating my French oral project, where I've been given a "carte blanche" (see what I did there) to talk about what I want for five minutes. Finally, I thought, my chance to shine. Ironic then that I still don't know what to talk about...

The same applies right now, time for bed methinks.

Day 318 - 6th February 2008

To look at, a picture of a book probably sums up what seems like a boring day. In fact, on paper, it was pretty boring; why then, did it feel so good?

Well, the sun shone, I got a glowing review of yesterday's presentation, which I thought was slightly shaky so I came out of my lesson with my head so big I could barely get through the door. What's more is that this was my one and only lesson of the day, so I got myself a sausage and bacon bap from the shop for breakfast; happy in the knowledge that the day was truly mine. Oh and yes, I did read the book.

This evening I played on some guitar hero and watched England be fairly successful under the new manager against Switzerland, winning 2-1; it needs work, but there certainly is a new flair in attack. Anyway, I did that until the sun went down and beyond, so now I'm off to bed.

It's been a great day once again for no real reason; I made sure I soaked it all up and made the most of it, tomorrow is once again that day which I have become almost tired of complaining about, Thursday.

Day 317 - 5th February 2008

Mild stomach ache put me off pancakes on pancake day; a shame but still no real tragedy.

After two somehow successful oral exams, one being a busked presentation about modernist art, all the stress left me with a tires sense of satisfaction. Basically, I'm feeling good again.

What's to complain about; tomorrow is Wednesday and nothing can be thrown in the way of that! Hopefully my internal clock will balance itself out soon, I went to the wrong lesson this morning; again. Well, it's the same lesson but in a different group!

Day 316 - 4th February 2008

AAAAHHHHH! AAAAAHHHH! Aaahh. Ah. Oh, the power's back on now. That's right folks, we had a 50 minute power cut this evening, although the emergency back up lights came on so it wasn't that bad.

Having said that, some sad bastard has made a facebook group about it; even I wasn't cynical enough to see that one coming, it really makes you lose faith in society.

Otherwise, in the news, the French president has married his supermodel girlfriend, England try out their new manager on Wednesday and in the rugby, England have got off to a bad start in the six nations, losing out to Wales over the weekend.

The darkness in the kitchen is about all that happened to me personally, who knows what tomorrow will bring...

Day 315 - 3rd February 2008

It might not be immediately visible as to what the picture is today, it's actually a milk bottle. There's no milk in there though, it seems to have progressed into a type of cheese.

I know I've had a picture of milk in advanced states of cheesehood before but I was really scrabbling for something to get a picture of. I cooked another chicken, bought some kitchen roll, did some work then capped the day off at a badly written quiz.

Sounds like a bad day, but it wasn't all doom and gloom, just quite dull. Tomorrow looks pretty bleak though, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it; tomorrow.

Day 314 - 2nd February 2008

My old choir were on a weekend down in Ormskirk today and I thought it'd be a nice idea to go and visit them; what with being so close to home. I had some trouble getting there on the train, it took about 2 hours to go somewhere no more than 30 miles away.

They decided to go on the customary trip out on the Saturday, but realised that there wasn't much to see around Ormskirk; we settled on going to Crosby to see Anthony Gormley's installation of one hundred metal men on the beach, it was worth seeing, there's not much else to do on the beach so you may as well stick some statues on it.

It was nice to see my old friends again, although now so many people have had kids amongst the members, it's become more of a nursery! The whole pace and feel of it has changed, so many have left and with all the toddlers running about and babies crying; weekends away have clearly become more stressful and trips out have to be much shorter than before.

Overall I'd say that it has become a much quieter, more civilised affair than before; just goes to show everything has to change one day or another. Anyway, I was pleased to catch up with them all, it's been about six months since I last saw them so we had lots to talk about; well worth the dodgy train ride.

Day 313 - 1st February 2008

The first month in 2008 went pretty well really, although there has been no real snow yet. The wind, however, has posed a slight problem when it came to going out to lessons, like this batch of toilet paper flying across the path which we had to dodge.

I'm off to see the choir in Ormskirk tomorrow, it'll be nice to catch up again with them and now I want the snow to hold off so that I can get the train there and back! They have predicted some for the morning, but being so close to the coast I can't see us getting too much; just loads of rubbish weather.

For the first time in a long, long time, I managed to get all my work done! Still got some reading to do but I don't like to talk about that...